The Schools Around the World project: an attempt to enhance the quality of science teaching

Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 1, Issue 2, Article 3 (Dec., 2000)
CHENG May Hung, May; SO Wing Mui, Winnie; CHEUNG Wing Ming, Francis
The Schools Around the World project: an attempt to enhance the quality of science teaching

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Enhancing teachers' professional development
While the SAW project is considered to be an attempt to improve the quality of science education in Hong Kong, this aim is expected to be achieved by enhancing local teachers’ professional competence. Firstly, the workshops and the online course conducted at the beginning of the project serve to raise the awareness of the teachers in science teaching. The workshops also help the teachers to realize that student work does not only mean homework but also include a range of different types of works for the students in their teaching in general. Teachers may also further develop their competence on how to set objectives and expectations from students. Teachers may realize how their students have performed through an analysis of their work, and hence reflect on their own teaching.

Secondly, the teachers have an opportunity to share samples of their student work, their expectations and comments with teachers from other local schools. This opportunity is rare for most local teachers to develop a collaborative relationship among themselves. This opens up a new possibility for the setting up of support groups of teachers where they may exchange ideas and resources in teaching specific subjects.

Through the local and international sharing of experiences, it is envisaged that the project may encourage teachers to attempt using alternative forms of student work in assessing student science learning and engage in professional discussion with other participating teachers in the project.